Verjine Svazlian: “I’m grateful that my father’s dream came true”

The RA Ministry of Diaspora hosted an event dedicated to the 110th birth anniversary of Egyptian-Armenian repatriate writer, publicist, public and political figure and satirist Karnik Svazlian and an exhibition showcasing his caricatures. The event was part of the events dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide.

After the event, at the request of Hayern Aysor’s correspondent, Karnik Svazlian’s daughter, genocide expert, Doctor of Philological Sciences and Professor Verjine Svazlian and Karnik Svazlian’s granddaughter, Diaspora expert Knarik Avagian shared their impressions of the event and talked about issues related to the Armenian Genocide.

Verjine Svazlian

First, I would like to thank the RA Ministry of Diaspora for doing everything possible to bring Armenia close to the Diaspora and paving the way for Diaspora Armenians to the Homeland, and the event was evidence of all this.

I would like to thank Minister Hranush Hakobyan who helped turn my father’s dream into a reality. He lived for a short while in Armenia and felt great pain to see that he couldn’t be of help to the Homeland. It seemed as though he believed the efforts that he had been making abroad for 25 years were meaningless.

His play “Immigration” and caricatures are evidence of his aspiration to create in a difficult time and the conflict between politics and political parties of the time.

I’m calling on all Armenians not to expect anything from foreigners, but to rely on their strengths so that we can turn the centuries-old dreram of the Armenian people into a reality. We have a free and independent army and Artsakh, which is the first milestone for our claims.”

At the end, we asked Verjine Svazlian what the milestone for the Armenian Cause will be after the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on April 24th, to which Svazlian said: “That’s a tough question, and there is no specific answer. I have no hope that the great powers will recognize the Armenian Genocide. How can you expect anything serious when Turkey makes up lies every day?”

Knarik Svazlian

I would like to express my deep gratitude to the RA Ministry of Diaspora and personally to Hranush Hakobyan for appreciating the efforts that my grandfather had made for repatriation, nation-building and the gathering of the nation 90 years ago and for commemorating those efforts in a new way.

My grandfather’s efforts should serve as a milestone for the current era so that Armenians of the Diaspora look towards the new, free and independent Armenia.

To turn our centuries-old dreams into a reality, the Armenian Diaspora shouldn’t rely on the improvident preservation of the Armenian identity, but should return to Armenia and preserve the land.

As Karnik Svazlian used to say, ��?the salvation of all Armenians lies in immigration’. If Diaspora Armenians want to be safe, they can only be safe by returning to Armenia.

Knarik Avagian also expressed her view on Turkey’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide. “I don’t think anything will change in the international arena.

The West has “sung us lullabies” with its beautiful phrases for centuries. Now, even after the 100th anniversary, almost the same thing will happen. Political figures say touching words about our pain and suffering, but there is no action. As we witnessed during the Artsakh war, only through a struggle was it possible to turn the ideas of freedom and justice into a reality.

Armenians in Armenia and the Diaspora went along by relying on the West for 100 years. We haven’t gotten anywhere. I don’t think anything will change after the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Karnik Svazlian used to say that we Armenians are not scattered across the globe to have a Diaspora, but by the historically cruel fate. Today we have a Homeland, and Armenians must focus on their homeland. That was exactly the principle of the Egyptian-Armenian national council that my father led, that is, Armenia belongs to the Armenians, Armenians belong in Armenia…He found that Armenia’s salvation lies in immigration, just like the future of all Armenians lies in Armenia.”

By Gevorg Chichyan

 

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